Who Would We Be?
by seci595
Summary: A series of one-shots depicting Fairy Tail characters in everyday life situations both in their world and ours. Friendships, romance, tragedy, and simple life encounters abound! Most Fairy Tail members will be in a chapter, so expect something from everyone! I will take pairing requests, both romantic and non-romantic
1. Chapter 1

Let's Stick Together

Gray and Lucy

Lucy strolled down the walk, humming a song and hardly paying attention. Said blonde girl didn't even flinch when a nerdy-looking boy ran down the street screaming something about "killer clowns from outer space." She was on cloud nine. She couldn't imagine a way this day could get any better. For months now, she had been receiving letters from a random pen pal somewhere in the city, a guy she had grown close to via the letters they had sent back and forth. They had made a solemn promise not to find each other until they were ready so as to protect each other in case of a communication break, but they had now decided to meet tonight. She couldn't stop the blush that had spread all across her cheeks; she had a date!

"Lucy, wait up!"

That voice, however, could distract her from her euphoria. She stopped on the sidewalk, grinning broadly at her friend Gray that was now sprinting to catch up.

"I feel like you pop up out of the strangest places, Gray. Where'd you come from this time?"

"Escaping Juvia. She followed me to the diner and I didn't feel like dealing with it. You walking by happened to be very convenient."

"So I'm only good for saving you from your fangirl? I resent that, Gray."

"No you don't. Come on, Lu, I know you way too well to think you resent saving my ass. If you resented saving my ass, you wouldn't do it on every mission we go on."

"That's only because you charge in without thinking about the situation, though. I don't really have a choice, dumbass."

"Would you love me less if I sat around and stared at the monster instead of protecting you?"

"Hell yeah."

The two threw back their heads laughing, linking arm-in-arm so as not to lose each other in the midafternoon crowd. The laughing suspended when Gray ruffled her hair up; a chase ensued instead. Gray, being the faster runner, had a serious advantage, but Lucy thanked whatever God there was that she was gifted with more strategic intelligence. Waiting for a break in the crowd, she pulled her whip out of her purse and struck. Gray crashed to the ground in a tangle of curses and limbs, leaving Lucy to laugh til she cried.

"That's not fair, Lucy! I didn't use my magic!"

"Neither did I. Does this whip look magic to you?"

He grumbled as she helped him to his feet, dusting off his black pants. Frankly, she was surprised he still had all his clothes on.

"Hey, Gray, something on your mind? You haven't stripped. I'm concerned."

"If it wasn't me you were talking about, I would seriously question your sanity. Yeah, I got something on my mind, my oh-so-perceptive friend, and after I'm done sharing, you're going to tell me why you look so happy you're practically skipping."

They waited until they reached Lucy's apartment and got comfortable with glasses of water to start the sharing. Gray cleared his throat, and began.

"So, I have this girl, and I really like her. However, I'm not sure how she feels about me, and I worry that if I do anything about it, she's going to pull away. I don't know if I should just go for it or play the waiting game to see if she likes me back."

Lucy couldn't help her look of shock at Gray's explanation. It was so . . . not _Gray._ This was Gray, the oblivious, slightly cold, quiet guy that never seemed to have an issue with things like this, but here he was, having a perfectly normal crisis. He waved a hand in front of her face, mocking her surprise.

"Wow. Sorry, the normality of the situation was refusing to set in. To give my opinion on the matter, I think you go for it. If she pulls away, she wasn't the girl for you. It's gonna hurt, but you have to try while you have the chance. When do you see her?"

"Tonight."

"Well, good luck. I wish you all the best of luck. Your situation is kind of similar to mine, actually. I'm meeting a guy tonight and I'm not sure where we stand. I think I really like him, but I'm not sure how he'd feel about it. I'm mostly just hanging on to the excitement of meeting up."

Gray leveled his gaze, scooting a little closer to her on the couch so he could slip an arm around her.

"Well, I say go for it, but if this guy hurts you, I'm going to destroy him."

"Right back at ya. Deal?"

They shook hands on it, grins splitting both of their faces. Lucy felt her worries easing as she sat and talked with Gray, just as it always was. He was such a calming presence, not at all like the element he controlled. Hiding under a stiff, cold exterior was a warm heart that she felt fortunate enough to hold a place in.

Several hours later, Lucy exited the small restaurant trying desperately to hold in the tears she so wanted to cry. The meeting had gone terrible. He had not only rejected her feelings, but had decided they should end their correspondence. He had all but ripped her heart out. What was worse was that she had nowhere she could go to get any peace. Fairy Tail was out; as comforting as they all were, she didn't want this to be everyone's business. Gray couldn't; he was still on his date with mystery girl.

"Lucy? Is that you?"

Her shock stilled the tears for a minute, giving her enough clarity to run forward and throw her arms around Gray before she began sobbing uncontrollably. He pulled her close, trying not to cry himself, both for his own sake and hers. Glancing at the rose in his hand didn't help.

"He said . . . he said he never wants to see me again."

"It's okay, she didn't see me at all. I got stood up."

After standing on the sidewalk for a minute, he dropped the rose and scooped Lucy up in his arms, carrying her to her apartment. Thankfully, she had left it unlocked, so it was easy to carry his distraught friend into her room and tuck her under the blankets.

"I'm sorry, Gray. I feel like such a wimp."

"You're fine, Lu. It doesn't hurt as much as I thought it would. Then again, I didn't get blatantly rejected."

"I would've rather been stood up. At least then I wouldn't feel insulted."

She cuddled a little closer, so he decided to indulge one of their childhood habits they had slipped out of when they moved out of the Fairy Tail house. Shrugging his jacket off, he laid down next to her; she instantly cuddled closer and hugged him.

"Most people would think we were together if they saw us like this, you know."

He considered the truthfulness of her words; he didn't fully understand this situation right now, anyway.

"Yeah, I suppose they would. What do you think, Lucy?"

She scooted a little closer, deeply inhaling his scent for the first time in a while. She had almost forgotten what it was like. He smelled fresh, probably due to a shower, but with just a hint of what could be honey. So sweet. She had forgotten how sweet he was. She had almost forgotten how close they were.

"I think that as long as we are together, everything is going to be alright."

With that, she slipped off into sleep, leaving Gray to mull over her words. He gently rotated his body, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"I think so too, Lucy. I think so, too."


	2. Chapter 2

Keeping Her Company

Laxus and Mira

Mira observed her guild with a smile, passing a milkshake down to Lucy with a wave. The cheerful blonde thanked her with a big grin before turning back to the novel she'd been working on. Mira sometimes wondered if Lucy's future lie as a mage or as an author at the pace she was going. Perhaps both if life was kind to her. In fact, she often wondered about her guildmates, her nakama. Despite all their success as mages and the great fun they all had together, most of them weren't _together_. She could count on her hand the actual couples in Fairy Tail. Actually, there was really only Alzack and Bisca. The thought caused her to huff in mild frustration. The only down side to this generation of Fairy Tail mages was that they seemed content to live their lives without a significant other.

"What's on your mind, sis? I've been sitting here a few minutes now; you've been zoning out pretty good."

She smiled at her younger sister, one of the only people in this guild she'd be content to see stay single a little while longer. Her sister hadn't been back from Edolas very long, and Mira would like to spend some more time with her before a man came in and swept her away.

"Oh, nothing, Lis. Just thinking about the guild."

"You mean, how none of them date?"

Lisanna grinned a little wider when Mira nodded to her, eyes all serious and focused. Her sister's dissatisfaction with the lack of couples to tease was almost palpable on days like this. Putting her hand over her sister's, she decided to drop her most daring suggestion yet.

"Are you sure you aren't frustrated with the fact that _you_ don't date, sis? I want to be an aunt someday, too, you know."

Mira gasped a little, but before she could demand an explanation from her sister, she had slipped into the crowd, undiscernible from the many moving bodies in the guild. Deciding that she wouldn't do anyone good in her distracted state, she passed her apron and rag off to Kinana and made her way out the back.

Back at her apartment in Fairy Hills, Lisanna's words still haunted her. Goodness, she hadn't been this worked up over an idea since Lisanna 'died'. A good night's sleep would definitely clear it up. Easing her pajamas on, she curled up on her plushy bed and drifted off away from the stress of the day.

Mira woke up miserable. Her head ached, her nose was running, and she felt like crap. Of all the days she could have used the guild to distract her, she had to have a stupid sinus infection. She pulled a robe on over her pajamas, deciding that she would have to send the news with Lisanna. She found her sister in the next room, still sleeping very peacefully.

"Lisanna, can you wake up please? I need a favor."

Her little sister rolled onto her side, cracking an eye open to stare at her sister rather befuddled. It was _way _too early for Mira to be waking her up.

"What's up, sis?"

"I'm really sick today; would you mind going down to the guild early and letting Master know? I'm going to be fine, but I need some more rest. I would really appreciate it!"

"No problem, Mira. Give me 20 minutes to get ready."

25 minutes later, Lisanna left the room with a wave. Mira slumped back down on her bed, content to sleep much longer. Hopefully, next time she woke up, she wouldn't feel quite so terrible.

Laxus wandered into the guild quietly, trying not to draw too much attention to himself. Right now, he was just in the mood for some breakfast, not Natsu's infernal yelling and Erza's temper. A few people had already wandered in, but no one of consequence. The only person he somewhat cared about that should be here was Mira. Strangely, there was no sign of the platinum-blonde bombshell, only her little sister behind the bar, and it was downright weird. Mira was _always_ here. When Gramps wandered out into the main hall, he immediately went to him, intent to find out where Fairy Tail's favorite bartender was.

"Hey, where's Mira? I wanted some breakfast."

Lisanna piped up, waving a rag above her head mildly indignantly.

"Mira is sick, so I'm taking her place today. Don't worry; I've been around long enough to know what I'm doing. I can help you. Laxus."

Deciding that she couldn't be a horrible cook if she was Mira's sister, he pulled up a seat at the bar and ordered. He tried to ignore the strangeness of not seeing Mira behind the bar, but it persisted. Maybe he just didn't like change that much.

Mira blew her nose for what felt like the thousandth time, and yet somehow, it brought her no relief. She had _not_ felt better after she woke up. Au contraire, she felt ten times worse. On top of that, her conversation with Lisanna yesterday was plaguing her, leaving her tormented in body and mind. She hated to admit it, but Lisanna had a point. For all her photo shoots, public appearances, and connections made at Fairy Tail, she had never dated before. She'd never even had her first kiss. It's not that she'd never met a nice guy before, she had just always put her family first, both her biological one and Fairy Tail. A family would be nice, though. She couldn't deny that someday, she'd love to have a couple kids to spoil and a house of her own. The thought made her smile, but the clock on the wall chiming noon startled her out of it. As soon as the clock chimed, someone knocked on her door hard enough for her to wince in pain. She quickly got to the door and opened it, shocked at what she found.

"Lisanna sent me over with lunch."

She couldn't help her eyes bugging out as she took in Laxus at her doorstep. How in Earthland had Lisanna convinced him to bring her lunch?! As if he sensed her confusion, he grumbled a bit. Something about her definitely being a Strauss.

"Well, thank you, Laxus. I won't ask you to come in because I don't want you to catch this cold, but I really do appreciate the meal. Tell Lisanna I said thanks as well."

"Yeah, sure."

And with that, he walked away. Mira wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but for some reason, it wasn't this outcome. She felt a little lonely now that she'd had a taste of someone's company. Before he could get too far, she set the food bag down and jogged into the hallway.

"LAXUS!"

He turned to look at her, confusion written all over his face.

"Will you please stay with me? I don't want you to get sick, but I could really use some company."

Laxus examined the sick form of his fellow mage, trying to understand where this had come from. They had never spent much time together before, nor did they have a lot in common. Other than being relatively close in age and being guild mates, there was nothing connecting them. So why did Mirajane, Fairy Tail's favorite girl, want the company of the prodigal son? She smiled at him then, just a small one, but enough to warm his heart a little. The smile was the key to the puzzle. Mira was just _nice._ Right now, she wasn't judging him for his actions, remembering his failures, or thinking about their lives at all really. There was no judgment in those kind eyes. Perhaps it would do him some good to spend some time with this kind girl.

"You know that I won't catch your cold, right Mira?"

"Sure, Laxus."

The next day, both mages were conspicuously absent from the guild. There were many rumors, some including: a mission, a favor for the Master, and a possible coincidence that the two mages were gone at the same time. No one suspected that a certain dragon slayer had caught a simple little cold, therefore, no one knew that Fairy Tail's favorite girl was caring for him. Most people would call that repaying a favor. One sick dragonslayer and one beautiful model called it keeping each other company.


	3. Chapter 3

Wondering About You (What Is Lost)

Levy and Gajeel

_This one is set in an alternate, non-magical world._

Levy glanced at the now-chiming clock on her nightstand, groaning a little as she realized she wasn't dreaming; it was, indeed, time to wake up. She pushed the button that turned it off and picked herself up out of bed. Her shift started in an hour; being late was not an option. She'd really only gotten the job out of pity, even though she was very good at it. Librarian jobs were hard to come by, and as it happened, the people who ran her local library were willing to hire her despite there being no formal opening. She thanked God every day that people were compassionate. Her phone chose that moment to ring rather obnoxiously.

"Hello?"

"Levy! Oh my gosh, you have to get down to the library right away! There's a story telling hour today, and Lucy called in sick! We need you!"

"When?!"

"Like NOW!"

The last word was a screech, leaving the blue-haired librarian very happy that Erza had hung up. Tugging on her clothes and getting ready as quickly as she could, she rushed out the door of her tiny apartment. The walk to the library wasn't long, but the traffic on the streets she had to cross could be nightmarish. She wove through the people crowding the sidewalk, thankful, for once, that she was small. After ten minutes of serious speed-walking, she found herself at THE crosswalk. The one everyone dreaded because the lights didn't work properly. Somehow, today, Levy was the only one that needed to cross. She pushed the button that triggered the light, and prayed.

Gajeel cursed loudly at the surrounding traffic, wishing he could just speed up around all the stupid people driving their cars today and be on his way. Sometimes, there were disadvantages to driving motorcycles. Traffic sucked worse this way. A chorus of honking started him out of his angry thoughts, drawing his attention to a speeding red car in the far left lane that was pissing a lot of people off. It maneuvered between two sedans before shooting the gap between two trucks, probably scaring the shit out of the drivers. Gajeel didn't think much of it until he heard screeching brakes and screaming from up ahead where the car had driven to.

Traffic came to a complete halt, so Gajeel hauled his bike up onto the curb, running to the sound of people crying. The red car was spun out in the middle of the intersection, the driver now outside his car and shaking in fear. People had gathered in a tight circle around something in the middle of the intersection. Pushing them aside, his heart chilled a bit at the sight of a mangled girl lying unconscious on the road. The first thing he noticed was her blue hair that was becoming red by the second due to the vast amount of blood pouring from a bad head wound. The girl was tiny, no more than five feet tall and skinny to boot. She looked no more than fifteen, but he suspected she was older than that given her professional attire. He was amazed she was still alive.

Deciding that he could not do anything for the injured girl directly, he hunted the intersection for any of her personal belongings. All he found was a colorful satchel with a book in it and a pair of broken glasses. Putting the glasses in his pocket, he turned his attention to the book. After flipping through a couple pages, he determined this was a book of fairy tales, a well written one at that. He stopped though, when he found writing inside the back cover of the book. It read,

"Dear Levy,

You're always wishing you had a happy ending, so here's a book full of them! I hope you like this book, and remember, you'll find your Prince Charming someday!

Love, Lucy"

After snorting at the sappy message, he tucked the book back in the satchel. The ambulance had already arrived, so he didn't bother to try getting it back to her. Instead, he stuffed the satchel into one of the bags on his bike and drove home. The glasses would need fixed, but

Gajeel arrived at the hospital early the next day, hoping to get his errand out of the way before work began later. After having the bag checked at the door, he strode up to the front desk, very aware of the stares he was receiving from the hospital staff.

"I'm here to deliver a package for the girl that was in the car accident yesterday. I think her name's Levy. Blue hair, probably in terrible shape."

The nurse just stared at him, unsure of whether to take this man's strange explanation when it was obvious he didn't know her personally. Gajeel sensed her hesitation.

"Listen, this is her bag, and someone needs to give it to her, whether it be you or me. I don't really care. Just as long as the shrimp gets it."

The nurse nodded and took the bag from him. She figured it would be safer that way, since the man before her looked pretty gruff. Gajeel nodded in slight appreciation and left the building. The nurse waited until he was gone to call the nurse taking care of Miss McGarden.

"Could you please come to the front desk? Someone dropped a personal effect of Miss McGarden's off at the front desk and I can't spare any assistants down here."

A couple minutes later, a petite nurse took the bag up to Levy's room, setting the bag on her nightstand. The girl was lucky to be alive. If she ever woke up, it would take her at least a year to be back to normal. That is, if she didn't slip into a coma first, which was highly likely. For a brief moment, the nurse wondered who had returned the girl's bag and not come up to visit. The whole situation was odd. Deciding not to dwell on it, the nurse returned to her rounds.

Gajeel pounded out a metal plate for a new bike, unsure of why he felt uneasy. He'd felt weird ever since his visit to the hospital earlier, and he really didn't like it. In his daze, he hit the plate so hard it broke. Swearing at himself for being so stupid, he chucked the plate in the trash.

"You okay, Gajeel? You seem pissed."

He tried not to groan at the sound of the last voice he wanted to hear right now.

"I'm fine, Erza."

"You know, one of my librarians was in a car accident yesterday. I went to visit her in the hospital, and the front desk asked me if I knew anyone fitting your description. I told her no, because it wasn't her business, but it IS mine. How do you know Levy?"

"I don't know her. I was there when the accident happened and I happened to find her bag and glasses. I dropped the bag off at the hospital and planned to do the same with the glasses after they were fixed. Happy?"

"Yes. You did a good thing, you know?"

"I suppose. Doesn't explain why I feel pissed off about the whole thing, though."

Erza fell silent at that, watching her friend begin to pack up his tools. In a flash, his behavior made perfect sense. He was beating himself up over something.

"Have you considered that maybe giving the bag to her yourself would have been more satisfying? She's unconscious, but Levy would certainly appreciate the gesture. How about you let me know when the glasses are done, and we can go give them to her ourselves?"

"Fine. They should be done tomorrow. I'll call you."

Erza strode out of the garage, pleased with herself and her friend. Perhaps this was the wake-up call Gajeel needed. He had never been good at dealing with people, choosing to hide behind his work and not get attached. Maybe this time, she could get him to reach out a little.

Gajeel examined the tiny pair of now-whole glasses, pleased that the company had done a good job. He picked up his phone to call Erza, but ended up answering a call from her instead. He instantly knew something was very wrong, because Erza was sobbing.

"She's dead. She died last night."

He hung the phone up. Fighting back the urge to crush the glasses in his hand, he set them on his kitchen counter and smashed his fist into the wall. He didn't know her, never talked to her, shouldn't miss her. This hole opening up in his heart hurt like a bitch; he didn't even understand why it was there. For the first time in his life, Gajeel had wondered about another person. He wondered what the blue-haired librarian was like, the one that wanted her happily-ever-after someday. He wondered what color her eyes were and how she looked with her glasses on. He wondered if she was pretty under all the blood she'd been covered in, and how old she really was. Gajeel wondered about Levy, but what drove him the craziest was wondering just what he'd lost when he lost his tiny librarian.


	4. Chapter 4

A Thoughtful Friendship

Wendy and Romeo

Romeo walked through the park, enjoying the peace and quiet that came from leaving the guild. He loved being in the guild, but sometimes even he liked to take a breath of fresh air. There was one particular spot Romeo spent most of his down time in, a little clearing on the edge of the park with a giant weeping willow in the center. He could hide under the branches without fear of attracting attention or care for the world around him. Juggling a small ball of fire between his hands, he hiked through the trees, eager to get to his hiding place.

Wendy breathed deeply, pulling the air around her deep into her stomach. Carla had instructed her to meditate every now and then, so as to get in touch with her element better. It made sense, but Wendy couldn't lie. This was BORING. As much as she wanted to improve her dragon-slaying skills, meditating seemed like the opposite of what she should be doing. Fighting, maybe, and definitely healing should be her practice methods, correct? Wendy let out the breath she didn't know she was holding, and realized that this was going nowhere. Picking herself up off the ground, she brushed her dress off and decided to take a walk. Maybe she could clear her mind, then.

The wind in the willow tree's branches picked up speed a little, but it was lost on the sleeping boy beneath its branches. Wendy pushed aside the wisps, resisting the urge to gasp at the sight of one of her friends. Of all the people, she had never expected it to be Romeo. He was always so full of energy, so hyper, that to see him at such peace like this tugged at her heart. She knew he wanted to be like Natsu, but it was at moments like this she saw the boy for as he truly was: just that, a boy. It was not as if they had ever spoken much; the only thing they had in common was age. Noticing him shiver slightly, Wendy tugged off the jacket she was wearing and laid it over him like a blanket. Even if they weren't technically friends, they were family.

Romeo woke at dusk, a little confused at the jacket covering him. He felt like he'd seen it before, but he couldn't place it. Even smelling it didn't help. Deciding to take it as the gift it was, he threw it over his shoulder and decided to go back to the guild to find his dad. The walk back was quick and quiet, as was the guild when he arrived. There were only a couple people still around, one of them being Wendy. He'd seen Wendy around, but had never really spoken with her in depth. Staring at her bare shoulders, he had a sudden realization. Wendy usually wore a jacket much like the one in his hand. He walked over to her, sat next to her at the table, and slid the jacket to her.

"Is this yours?"

"Yes. You looked cold."

"Thanks, I think I was. Why were you out there in that part of the park?"

"Meditating. What were you doing?"

"Well, I guess you could say I was meditating, too."

Wendy got a bright smile on her face that seemed to light up the whole room. Romeo couldn't help but grin back at her.

"Hey, Romeo, what do you say we meditate together sometime, then?"

"That sounds great!"

**Alright, so all you who have read this chapter already know that this author note is new. I'm just letting you know that I'm currently experiencing writer's block and a lack of time, so I don't have an update. I don't know when I'll end up back in the groove, but I may eventually be posting a Ghost Hunt fanfic because it's been bugging me. I apologize for not having anything new. Feel free to yell at me (trust me, I've already beat myself up over it). Thanks for the support!**


	5. Chapter 5

Regrets and Guilt (Make It Up)

Natsu and Lucy

The dresses were beautiful, and Lucy had to agree with Levy: the guys of Fairy Tail had never looked better. All in tuxedos, they definitely had class they usually lacked. Even Gajeel looked good, much to Levy's embarrassment and (she would never admit it) pleasure. Juvia and Gray's wedding had gone without a hitch, and now the reception was wild. The only thing missing was a certain fire dragon-slayer. Lucy's heart ached at the mere thought.

_ "Natsu, it's too close to the wedding! I mean, what if we're not back on time? I'm the maid of honor and you're the best man! We cannot afford to even cut the timing CLOSE!"_

_ "But Luuuucccyyyy, it's no big deal. All we have to do is escort this old guy to his new house; how long can that take? We'll be back in two days! The wedding is two weeks away!"_

_ Lucy huffed angrily. He was so thick-headed. Didn't he understand that they should be there supporting the couple? What if Juvia got cold feet? What if Gray had second thoughts? If both of them were gone, who was going to soothe their fears? Maybe she was being a bit self-righteous, but she wanted to be there for Gray and Juvia._

_ "Sorry, Natsu, but if you want to go on a mission so bad, you'll have to find someone else to go with you."_

_ He had just simply left after that. He took the mission, just him and Happy. It had taken everything she had not to regret her decision._

Boy did she regret it now. Natsu had not returned in time for the wedding; no one had heard anything from him or Happy since they left two weeks ago. The mission should have been easy, hell, it should have been easier than usual since Lucy wasn't there to slow him down. Lucy had hid her worry by throwing herself into the wedding preparations; Natsu had to be fine. Nothing could bring Fairy Tail's strongest dragon-slayer down.

_"Lucy, Juvia knows you are worried about Natsu. It is okay, you can tell Juvia."_

_ Lucy had broken down in tears. Natsu had been gone for a week already, and her heart was nearly bursting with worry. Juvia had simply taken the distraught Lucy into her arms, trying not to cry herself. The bride-to-be found herself imagining how she would feel if Gray were in Natsu's place. Undoubtedly she would look much like Lucy right now._

_ "I want to go look for him, Juvia, but I can't insult him like that. He would be so angry if I went looking for him and nothing was wrong. What should I do? WHAT DO I DO?!"_

_ The water mage broke down then; it was too much to bear. Gray walked in on them a half hour later, still crying their eyes out. His already pale skin had gone a shade whiter upon realizing what all the fuss was about._

_ "Lucy, I know it's killing you, but I'm sure Natsu is fine. You know what a stubborn son of a bitch he is; he'd never leave Fairy Tail. He'd never leave you, and I know that to be true. How about this: if he's not back by the wedding, you can go look for him then. _

Lucy was counting the minutes until she could leave the reception and prepare to leave in the morning. She found it hard to even enjoy herself at this point. Levy kept shooting her worried glances; the small book-lover knew exactly what was running through her best friend's mind.

"Lu, I think you're okay. Gray and Juvia understand that you're worried about Natsu; they won't be upset if you leave now."

Without a second glance, Lucy fled the reception hall. It was raining outside, the water soaking her hair and dress. The drenching made the dress appear a darker blue than it actually was. She ran all the way back to her apartment, shivering by the time she unlocked her door and collapsed on a barstool.

_Erza watched as Lucy slowly slipped into an emotionless depression as the wedding approached. Her anger burned hotter with every day that passed. How could Natsu do this? He was smarter than this, even given his low intelligence level. Didn't he know that his continued absence was killing Lucy?_

Without bothering to change out of her wet clothes, she curled up on her bed, disregarding the fact that her bed would be soaked. She would just sleep on the couch.

Lucy felt the tears before she registered that she was crying. The tears were warmer than her skin; that's how she knew.

"Damn you, Natsu, for making me worry this much. I swear, when I get my hands on you, I'm going to strangle you myself."

A gust of wind blew her hair, setting her on edge. Her window had not been open.

"Who's there? If you're here to rob me or something, just do it. I'm not going to fight you right now."

"What if I'm here to apologize?"

Her breath caught in her throat at the deep voice that crashed against her ears. Her heart raced in her chest, creating an uncomfortable ache.

"God, Lucy, you're freezing!"

Warm arms gathered her up, warm arms that turned almost hot in a matter of seconds. It felt blessedly good against her frozen skin. The warmth reminded her that she was cold and wet; the shivering started.

"Calm down, just relax. I've got you, Lucy."

The tears flowed even faster now, pouring down her face in an endless stream that threatened to choke her up. This moment could not be happening, yet it was. All her anger dissipated, replaced only by the need to be as close to her partner as possible.

"Where—where the hell have you been, Natsu?"

"I got poisoned by a dark mage and ended up in a hospital near Hargeon. I'm so sorry I missed the wedding, Lucy. I really did try."

There were no more words after that. Lucy wrapped her arms around Natsu, the two of them just basking in each other's presence. Natsu's heart was breaking; somehow, he knew he had done this to his partner. Words could not convey his sorrow and guilt for leaving like he had. Anyone else at the guild could punch him and have done with it, but only Lucy could make him feel like this. If Gray could see him right now, he would probably roar with laughter at the sight of the Salamander going soft over a blonde girl.

"Hey, Natsu, you were supposed to dance with me at the reception."

"Who replaced me?"

"Loke."

"Stupid cat. I'll kill him for taking my spot."

Lucy just chuckled at Natsu's petty anger. She knew this was the only way he could deal with his guilt. Feeling a little daring, she pulled her face out of Natsu's shoulder and looked him dead in the eye.

"You could make up for it and dance with me right now."

Natsu obliged without argument. An hour later, the two partners were laughing hysterically, waltzing around her apartment to old, cheesy music. Natsu pulled her a little closer during a particularly slow song, and Lucy suddenly had a vision: the apartment was a reception hall, but her dress was white. She shook the vision away, her smile growing wider. Maybe someday, but not tonight. Tonight was innocent, and tonight was theirs.

**Well, I came back to post this after a LONG time of being gone (at least it felt like it). I'm sorry if this lacks my usual enthusiasm, I really did try. I missed everyone and would enjoy hearing from you if you've got time to check in! Hopefully I'll get back into writing after this XD Thanks for sticking around, and please leave your comments, questions, or conversations! See you soon!**


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